Rule to Compel State Scrutiny of Online Ed

Colleges pushed back on Wednesday against the U.S. Education Department’s efforts to expand state oversight of online education, calling the agency’s proposed "state authorization" rule a "bureaucratic nightmare." Speaking here at a negotiated rule-making session, campus officials argued that the draft rule, which would require colleges to seek approval to operate in every state where they enroll students online, would place an undue burden on both the colleges and the states. Consumer advocates applauded the proposal, saying it would strengthen protections for online students. The advocates argued that too many states have been lax in their oversight of distance education, leaving their residents vulnerable to shoddy programs.